Tuition & Fees

Residence Status for Tuition Purposes

LCC classifies a student as a resident or non-resident student according to the information provided on one’s Application for Admission. Contact the Office of Admissions for information about required documentation for residency status. If a student feels that he/she meets the requirements for Colorado residency he may appeal a classification. Please contact the Office of Admissions at 719.336.1589 or admissions@lamarcc.edu for further information.

Who Qualifies for Colorado Resident Status

To qualify for resident tuition, a student (or parents or legal guardian if under 23 years old and not emancipated) must have been domiciled in Colorado for at least one year prior to the first day of the semester that one is seeking residency. Domicile for tuition purposes is determined by two factors:

1. Ability to show a permanent place of residence in Colorado, and
2. Ability to demonstrate one’s intent to remain in Colorado.

A student can prove one’s intent by providing evidence of:

• Paying Colorado income taxes
• Being permanently employed in Colorado
• Holding a Colorado driver’s license or vehicle registration
• Registering to vote

Petition Residency Classification

If a student has been classified as a non-resident for tuition purposes, he/she may petition the college by submitting a supplemental residency form. Petitions must be submitted NO LATER than the start of the classes for the term in which one is enrolling.

Resident Status for Honorably Discharged Veterans

Honorably Discharged Veterans, spouses and dependants may be eligible for residency. Eligible students can submit a copy of one’s DD-214 and Military ID to the Office of Admissions for review. This must be submitted prior to the first day of the semester that a student seeks residency.  This status is COF-eligible. See COF section below for more information.

Resident Status for Active Duty Military

Non-resident active duty military personnel and their dependents may qualify for resident status by providing the following documents prior to the first day of the semester that they seek residency. This status is COF-eligible. See COF section below for more information.

• Certification from base personnel office that confirming student’s status as active duty with a permanent duty station in Colorado.
• A photocopy of military or dependent ID card from a branch of the U.S. Armed Services.

Resident Status for Temporary Duty Military

Members of TDY (Temporary Duty) orders to Colorado and their dependents qualify for in-state tuition by providing the following documents prior to the first day of the semester that a student seeks residency. Students submit documentation of assignment or orders and copy of sponsor’s and student’s Military ID.  Status is not COF-eligible.

Students must re-submit documentation to Student Services for each year that they wish to be classified as residents.

Western Undergraduate Exchange/WUE Tuition

The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a program through the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). With WUE, students in most Western states may enroll in many two-year and four-year college programs at a reduced tuition level of 150 percent of the institution’s regular resident tuition. WUE tuition is considerably less than non-resident tuition.

To be eligible for WUE, a student must be, and remain, a resident of one of the participating states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington or Wyoming. If a student has moved to Colorado within the past 12 months from one of the qualifying states to attend college, he/she may be eligible for the program. No semesters in which a student is classified as WUE may be counted towards the 12 month domicile requirement to establish Colorado residency. Please be aware that online courses are not eligible for the WUE program.

To qualify, a student must submit a completed WUE application form to Student Services no later than the beginning of the term in which one is enrolling. Please contact the Office of Admissions at 719.336.1589 or admissions@lamarcc.edu for further information. 

Tuition Reciprocity Agreement

A tuition reciprocity agreement between Colorado and New Mexico allows students from New Mexico to attend LCC at in-state tuition rates. To qualify for Reciprocity, students must submit a request for reciprocity enrollment form to Student Services no later than the start of classes for the term in which one is enrolling.

Forms will be sent to New Mexico students with their letters of acceptance to LCC. Please contact the Office of Admissions at 719.336.1589 or admissions@lamarcc.edu for further information.

Student Financial Obligations

Lamar Community College students are expected to pay their financial obligations with the College in a timely manner. Students should plan to pay for all charges associated with the registration/ enrollment process at the beginning of each semester. These charges include, but are not limited to tuition, fees, and bookstore charges. Students who choose to live in the residence hall also are responsible for room and board charges to be paid at the beginning of each semester.

If tuition, fees, bookstore charges, room and board charges, etc. are not paid by census date of the current term, a $25 deferment fee could be charged to the student’s account.  Lamar Community College offers all students an easy payment plan option through Nelnet FACTS payment plan, that can be accessed by logging into you Lopes Access link on the www.lamarcc.edu website.  Click on the student finance tab and click on sign up for a payment plan.  All payment plans and options can be discussed at the Cashier’s Office located in Student Services or by calling 719.336.1593.  

Tuition pricing shown below reflect established 2012-13 rates and are for estimation purposes only. They are subject to change as deemed necessary by the State of Colorado, the Colorado Community College System, and LCC.

College Opportunity Fund/COF

The College Opportunity Fund (COF) is a state-funded program that provides a per–credit subsidy for residents attending state-supported and participating private colleges and universities. This money, referred to as a COF stipend, is applied to an in-state student’s tuition, provided the student applies for and authorizes its use.  LCC will receive this money, and it will appear as a tuition credit on your bill. COF rates are set annually by the Colorado General Assembly. Failure to apply for COF or comply with HB-1023 could result in a student’s tuition being changed to non-resident. If a student does not apply for and authorize its use, he/she is responsible for both the “student share” and the “state share” of all tuition and fees.  Students are advised to view tuition bills each term to ensure that the COF stipend has been correctly applied to accounts. Students should apply online during the college application process or by going to www.lamarcc.edu and clicking on “The College Opportunity Fund” icon in the lower right-hand side and then “Apply for a Stipend.”  Students should authorize COF when registering for classes.

House Bill – 06S-1023

In July 2006, The Colorado State Legislature enacted HB-06S-1023, which became effective on August 1, 2006.  This legislation requires all citizens who apply for state-funded benefits that entail any payment or financial assistance provide proof that they are lawfully present in the United States. An example of thls is in-state tuition.

Estimated Base Tuition Calculation

Mandatory Fees

All students are required to pay the following fees, unless noted.

Registration Fee

The College assesses a $12.25 registration fee each semester.

Activity Fees

Students enrolled in on-campus courses and programs are required to pay activity fees charged on a per-credit-hour basis as follows:

Student Center Fee

LCC charges $2.70 per credit hour with a 12-credit-hour cap for funding future construction of a new Student Center.

Campus Health Center Fee

All full-time students pay the Campus Health Center fee. This fee of $33.60 per student, per semester provides full-time students with unlimited office visits at the Campus Health Center. It is optional for part-time students for the same fee ($33.60).

Athletic Insurance Fee

With the exception of Rodeo, all students involved in intercollegiate athletics are charged a $59.00 supplemental insurance fee per academic year. 

Residence Hall Technology Fee

All students who reside in the Residence Hall are assessed a $75.00 fee per academic year.

Graduation Fee

A $35 non-refundable graduation fee is assessed to a student’s account in the semester a student submits an “intent to graduate” form to LCC Student Services Center. Students are encouraged to participate in graduation activities, including walking in commencement, upon completion of their degree or certificate programs.

Students graduating with multiple degrees and/or certificates in one term will be assessed a $35 fee for each designation, up to a maximum of three (3).

Course-Related Fees

Although also mandatory, the fees listed below are assessed based on a student’s choice of courses and delivery methods.
 

Medium/High Cost Course Fee

This fee was established by the Colorado Community College System to address higher cost of science, occupational, and technology courses. The fee is $6.35 per credit hour.

CISCO Course Fee

Established by the Colorado Community College System to provide the funds necessary to support the cost of the Cisco Networking programs at member community colleges, the fee for these courses is $17.50 per credit hour. Cisco courses are not subject to the Medium/High Cost course fee above.

EBM Lab Charge

Students registered in ASC 143, ASC 243, and/or EQT 253 are assessed a $450 lab charge.

Fitness Center Fee

Some Fitness Center courses require a $18.00 Fitness Center Equipment Usage fee and a one-time $15.00 manual charge.

Directed Study Fee

Independent study courses are charged at the current tuition rate, plus an additional independent study fee equal to the student’s share resident rate, $119.50, per credit.

Lab and Other Course Fees

Lab and other course fees vary depending upon courses taken and may include liability insurance, lab kits, external testing fees, and supplies.

Nursing Course Fee

All NUR (Health Professions) prefixed courses are charged a differential tuition fee of $54.65 per credit hour in addition to regular tuition.

Books and Supplies

A full-time student’s average annual cost for books and supplies is $2,700.00, payable by cash, checks, Master Card, VISA, or Discover.

Room and Board

All freshmen are required to live in the residence hall unless they have received waivers or have been exempted. LCC reserves the right to automatically bill students who have not been exempted/waived and choose to live off campus. For more information, see the Student Services  section.

Room and board fees shown below reflect established 2013-2014 rates. They are subject to change as deemed necessary by the State of Colorado, the SBCCOE, and LCC. Students living in the residence halls must purchase a 19-meal/week plan. Room & board is $2,880.00/semester (double occupancy). A $15.00 fee is deducted once from each resident’s $150 housing deposit. This fee is placed in an account reserved specifically for hall activities and maintenance of hall recreational equipment.

Payments, Adjustments, and Refunds

All charges (tuition, fees, room and board) are due by the published census date of each semester.  Credit is extended only in those instances where the College has an existing contract with an outside agency (this includes various forms of federal and state financial aid) or where prior arrangements have been made with the Business Office for a payment plan set up. 

Students who have applied for and who have been awarded financial aid must pay the difference, if any, between the actual costs and the amount awarded unless they have made prior arrangements with the Cashier.

If a student adds a course creating additional charges, all charges are due at that time. A student due a refund as a result of overpayment, dropping, or other actions, may expect to receive a refund  in approximately 6–8 weeks after the Cashier has received the appropriate paperwork. This policy applies to all LCC learners.

All Lamar Community College refunds are processed electronically to HigherOne.  Each student who registers receives a HigherOne card in the mail, with instructions of how to activate it, select refund preferences, etc.  The three refund options available through HigherOn include:   having the refund posted to the student’s HigherOne card; an electronic deposit in the student account of choice; or a paper refund check that will be sent from HigherOne. 

Tuition and Fee Adjustments

A 100 percent refund of tuition and refundable fees is made if a student officially drops from a course prior to the course’s census date. There is no refund if the student withdraws from a course after the published census date.

Applicable tuition and fees are charged for any course added by a student prior to the course’s published census date.

Withdrawal from the College

Students can withdraw from the College by contacting the Student Services Center. No refund is made for withdrawals after the census date except as mandated by federal financial aid regulations. Unused portions of scholarships and other financial aid are canceled upon withdrawal. Students withdrawing from LCC must go through a checkout process with Student Services. For more information on withdrawal, see the Academic Affairs  section.

Tuition/Fee Reimbursement for Emergency & Military Personnel

In times of emergency, certain students (e.g., reserve military units, individuals with specialized skills, or firefighters) are called to provide services to the country. When the call for service or national emergency is issued, it is often necessary for students to interrupt their coursework in mid-semester without advance notice. LCC recognizes that normal refund and withdrawal policies may not be appropriate and allows the following exceptions.

1. LCC offers to reimburse tuition paid or credit the current term’s tuition to a future semester’s tuition charges for reservists called to active status during times of national emergency.
2. LCC waives any fee for breaking room and board contracts for reservists called to active status during times of state or national emergency. In addition, LCC refunds a prorated amount paid for room and board based on the date the individual leaves the residence hall.

Documentation of official TDY assignment is required and must be approved by the Executive Dean of Academic Services.

Result of Nonpayment

The College reserves the right to terminate the enrollment of students who do not meet their financial obligations to the College. The Student Services Center cannot release degrees, certificates, or transcripts to any student or former student who has a financial obligation to the College. 

Appeal for Tuition Credit

The College gives students the opportunity to submit an Appeal for Tuition Credit if there is an unforeseeable or extraordinary circumstance that prevents the student from dropping a course by the census (drop) deadline. An Appeal for Tuitition Credit must be filed within one year from the date of the circumstance.  For more information please contact Student Services. Completed Financial Aid Acknowledgment and Medical Documentation forms may also be required.